John and Hugh Labatt, grandsons of founder John K. Labatt, launched Labatt 50 in 1950 to commemorate 50 years of partnership. The first light-tasting ale introduced in Canada, Labatt 50 was Canada's best-selling beer until 1979 when, with the increasing popularity of lagers, it was surpassed by Labatt Blue. Labatt 50 is fermented using a special ale yeast, in use at Labatt since 1933. Specially-selected North American hops and a good balance of dryness, complemented by a fruity taste, provide Labatt 50 with all the distinguishing features of a true ale.

D - I gave this a 5.0 as being very drinkable. This beer is always stocked in my fridge. Its a good beer. Matter of fact I like this beer for what it it, or isn't: BMC. If you just want something cold and wet while watching hockey, hanging out or cutting grass, then this could be your beer of choice.

12 oz can, the pale dusty golden colour shows its clarity off and a thin crown of white lace. Clean aroma with a thin sweet malt and faint alcohol. Pretty damn smooth when poured into a glass yet still retains its crispness. A touch of malt comes to the palate with a faded but drawn out hop bitterness and spicy flavour that mingles with a semi harsh graininess.

At $8.99 a 12-pack I'll pass as there is far better to come from a can a cheaper at that. (456 characters)

Taste - Has a fairly strong malty flavor to it, with a slight bitter finish.

Mouth feel - Refreshing!

Drinkability - I grew up on Labatt's 50 and find that it is one of my "go to" beers. Although it is imported, I consider it a glorified domestic, ranking higher than the macro's of the U.S. The taste is consistently very good, and has yet to let me down! (490 characters)

First off appearance is much like most of the other macro lagers out there pale straw colored golden hue with a bright white head retention is actually decent and carbonation doesn't seem over done with fizziness. Oh yeah and lacing is actually there evenly with each sip fine even and intricate on my chalice. Aroma contains an actual mild citrus and herbal toned hop profile with a minimal amount of cereal sweetness and mild perfume like accents. Flavor wise some residual honey like sweetness after the crisp light malt grain and adjuncts clear. Mineral water with a trace of citric and herbal hop kick just peaking through in the finish. Mouthfeel is light bodied carbonation does tickle the back of the throat but overall quite unremarkable. Drinkability is mediocre this is definitely a macro brew, that I can do without. (828 characters)

My 341ml bottle says Labatt 50, with 'Canadian Ale' in very small print. Enjoyed before a Fringe show at the Black Dog, put on by a friend of mine - break a leg, Zyp!

This beer pours a clear, medium golden yellow colour, with two fingers of puffy, loosely foamy, and soapy off-white head, which leaves some spotty streaks of lazy cloud lace around the glass as it quickly dissipates.

The carbonation is moderate, just a soft trilling edginess throughout, the body a day late and a dollar short of true medium weight, a bit oily, and somewhat clingy in its punch-clock smoothness. It finishes off-dry, the breakfast corn cereal showing off its resiliency, amongst the equally dogged floral, weedy hops.

Another ale from the big boys that blurs the line between lager and ale (Kim Mitchell should look into this!). I drank most of this before being distracted by watching an (entertaining) amateur play, so it turned out to be sufficient for the lull, but now onto something more modern and appropriate for the venue - oh, right, Big Rock. (1,333 characters)

flavor: yikes! The metallic bitterness hits hard right off, it's as if someone crushed up tylenol in this poor beer. There is a very thin malt flavor with a bit of sour yeastie tang and wheat. Any decent flavors are destroyed by the metallic, bitterness that just made me cringe.

Probably 30 years since may last "fitty". Not sure if it was the nostalgia or the ale but I enjoyed it on tap at the Sheraton Toronto. Wish it were more available as an option when compelled to drink a mass produced product or chlorinated tap water. (249 characters)

A - Poured out a hazy straw color with a decent but fleeting head that gave to some lacing.

S - Grains with some cooked cereals.

T - Grain flavor dominates with some faint hop bitterness in the finish.

M - Watery with good carbonation.

O - Disappointing since I can recall this beer being much more heavily hopped many years ago. I wouldn't turn one down, but I don't see myself buying this again as there are better choices in this class for the same money. (470 characters)

I used to drink this quite a bit once I reached legal drinking age and I began experimenting with different biers. I could pick this up for the same price as domestic macros, so I used it as a fall back.
Golden appearance, some hops on the nose, not much else.

Not all bad in the taste department. A little hop bitterness right away. Not alot of backbone as far a malt goes, but enough to keep things going. Mass-produced tasting...but not horrible. Kicks the snot out of most domestic macros.

I realized that I can't find this in the area anymore. Doesn't really concern me, since I wouldn't drink much of it now anyway.

I guess it is sort of a bier without a niche. Too much juice for the swiller, and not enough for those who know better.

But if you don't want to invest the cash in a superior brew, and are just looking to tie one on without much thought...here's one for you. (904 characters)

Labatt Canadian Ale is, indeed, an ale. It was launched as "Labatt 50" in 1950, and was Canadas best-selling beer until 1979! It pours a deep golden color, and raises a finger-thick head of creamy white froth. The head retention is slightly better than average, and it leaves some nice lace about the glass. The nose is mainly malty, basic and sweetish, and there's a light touch of fruity yeastiness. It's medium bodied and gently crisp across the palate. The flavor offers a very well balanced combination of gently sweet malt, a mild yeasty fruitiness, and some leafy and mildly grassy hops. It's still a basic golden ale, but there's more to it than most golden lagers offer. It finishes dry with a drop of sweet maltiness that fades quickly, leaving behind a refreshing bitterness and some dull, lingering hops. An interesting and refreshing golden ale! (860 characters)

Now this isn't a bad beer, but there's little resemblance to a typical APA. It's more of what I'd call a macro ale, as it reminds me a great deal of a macro lager. The taste is slight and sweet and the carbonation is a bit sharp. The flavor isn't bad when you pick it apart - husky grain and white bread with a sweet green apple note. There's even a hint of hops for balance, but this is closer to a blonde ale, than anything else I can think of in the ale category. On par with Genesee Cream Ale. (557 characters)

Not a bad beer, all in all. I did not consider this an ale, but a beer of some sort. It has some grain to its taste, and just a hint of hops. This is proably as good as it gets from Labatt's. (191 characters)

Poured into a clear plastic cup a clear bubbly golden with thin bubble head. Nose was malty, grain. Taste was surprisingly crisp and decent, pale malts and more grain/grass but mixed together well. Mouthfeel was thin and watery.Overall, a surprise macro that works well in dire situations, when theres no other choice at shows. (429 characters)